Amazing the power that Wally World has on the U.S. Marketplace. XNA becoming a decent size airport... It still amazes me that Wally World can get management peeps to come work in NW Ark. Who would've guessed... (and Yes, I once had the unfortunate (i.e. boring) experience of living in Ark. for a summer)

Quoting MrSTL (Reply 2):Did they pull another flight for the XNA-DCA or did they have an extra slot?

Good question, I would assume this has to be taken from their currently alloted slots since AA/Eagle didn't apply for this (or any new route) in the latest DCA slot application process that ended up going to FL.

I just don't see why they don't rename Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport to American Airlines/Wal-Mart Hub of Arkansas. They might as well. I know that AA has the Wally World contracts and will fly anywhere WM wants them to, but the airport seems to cater only to AA. After all, they are the only airline to have exclusive use of the majority of the gates. NW has access to 1 jetway, I believe, and thats only because of the odd DC-9 equipment sub. Meanwhile, everyone else is forced to use what I've come to term as "the Barn." Literally, walking through there makes me feel that hay should be stacked on the sides and cattle mingling through. XNA seems to have some extra cash to burn and decided to add a little bit to the airport, which I think is a great idea. Only downside is that, golly gee, it happens to be on the AA side of the terminal. Why don't they just go ahead and throw in an Admiral's Club while they're at it?

I travel through XNA quite often(thank goodness I don't live there, no offense to any Arkansas natives here)and just feel that they ignore the other airlines and what they have to work with. If your going to "update" the terminal, why not make it all feel like the cozy upstairs section of the terminal rather than down in the Barn, where all the airlines are forced to funnel their customers through a 1 door herding chute? From what I've seen, most of the traffic in and out of XNA is a pretty good size and more airlines may be interested in sending mainline equipment in if they had the option, rather than only being afforded with RJ jetways. Trying to nonrev into there is sometimes very difficult, so I'm looking forward to DL starting up FSM service this summer. I believe NW has the monopoly there. Anyone know what that airport is like, say, compared to XNA?

Quoting OttoPylit (Reply 11):I know that AA has the Wally World contracts and will fly anywhere WM wants them to, but the airport seems to cater only to AA.

Honestly, as we all know, money talks. No different in XNA than in EGE, or anywhere else where one airline has for so long been so dominant. Naturally, that airline tends to get most of the airport's attention. Sure, AA/Eagle may get better treatment from the XNA airport authorities than competitors, but after all, they pay for it. They probably carry 75% of the people in and out of the airport, and thus bring in the vast majority of the PFC and concession revenue for the facilities there. In that context, it only seems fair that they get the nicest facilities, prime location, etc.

Quoting OttoPylit (Reply 11):Trying to nonrev into there is sometimes very difficult, so I'm looking forward to DL starting up FSM service this summer. I believe NW has the monopoly there.

AA/Eagle flies DFW-FSM 6x per day with RJs, double the number of flights offered by NW to MEM.

Quoting Commavia (Reply 12):Honestly, as we all know, money talks. No different in XNA than in EGE, or anywhere else where one airline has for so long been so dominant. Naturally, that airline tends to get most of the airport's attention.

Nor did I ever say they shouldn't. I never said they shouldn't get the most gates, jetways, etc. They have the largest operation in XNA and therefore should get the most attention. All I was saying is that, after you cater to the largest carrier, then focus on the smaller ones, instead of continually coddling the big guy over and over. After all:

Quoting Commavia (Reply 12):They probably carry 75% of the people in and out of the airport, and thus bring in the vast majority of the PFC and concession revenue for the facilities there. In that context, it only seems fair that they get the nicest facilities, prime location, etc.

No, they carry about 50-55% of the revenue out of the airport. The other 5 carriers(DL, CO, NW, UA, US) carry the rest. Granted, its still a good chunk of change for one airline compared to 5, but one can't just ignore the others, as they rival the yield that is brought into the airport. Now, if you compared AA's presence in XNA and every other carrier flew 1 flight a day, your argument would be solid. However, most of the other carriers have no less than 7-8 flights a day.

Quoting Commavia (Reply 12):Sure, AA/Eagle may get better treatment from the XNA airport authorities than competitors, but after all, they pay for it.

Can you prove that? Just being the largest carrier at an airport doesn't guarantee that your paying the price for anything. In fact, it sometimes means that you get special favors FROM the airport.

Quoting Commavia (Reply 12):AA/Eagle flies DFW-FSM 6x per day with RJs, double the number of flights offered by NW to MEM.

I stand corrected. The one airline I failed to check to ensure my stats were correct.

Quoting OttoPylit (Reply 13):All I was saying is that, after you cater to the largest carrier, then focus on the smaller ones, instead of continually coddling the big guy over and over.

I suppose that if the other airlines really are operating from embarressing shacks while AA gets gleaming gates, that is certainly unequal, if not unfair. If one airline benefits from investments and upgrades at the expense of competitors, then that is unfortunate, although I suppose that is a determination for XNA to decide.

Quoting OttoPylit (Reply 13):Can you prove that? Just being the largest carrier at an airport doesn't guarantee that your paying the price for anything. In fact, it sometimes means that you get special favors FROM the airport.

No, I can't prove it. Perhaps I should have phrased my initial statement differently. What I meant by AA "paying for it" was, in other words, they "earn" it. They carry the most traffic, so they earn the best treatment -- that's more what I was trying to say.

ORD-XNAAA will pull mainline off the route.
Eagle will add 2 daily
Total 6 Daily

LGA-XNA
Eagle will add 1 daily
Total 3 Daily

LAX-XNA
Eagle will add 1 daily M-F
Total 1 Daily / 5 Weekly flights

I had a feeling there would be more flights to XNA from LAX and MIA. They new MIA-XNA flight is doing well and is usually 60-80% on weekends and 80-100% durring the week (my informal estimation). I imagine LAX and MIA will eventually go to at least three daily each.

Quoting AJMIA (Reply 15):
I had a feeling there would be more flights to XNA from LAX and MIA. They new MIA-XNA flight is doing well and is usually 60-80% on weekends and 80-100% durring the week (my informal estimation). I imagine LAX and MIA will eventually go to at least three daily each.

MIA-XNA is doing very well and the yields are excellent, but it will stay at one daily. I really can't imagine it getting a second daily, let alone a third. The market is not that large, it is just there is a lot of merchant traffic going to Wal*Mart, from both Miami and international connections. The flight is timed to absolutely optimize connections to everywhere except deep South America. However, those destinations can all be reached via Dallas.